1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a network management method and, in particular, to a network management method applied to a user apparatus.
2. Related Art
The network has become an important tool in the daily life of human beings, so that people can transmit data to and share the data with one another through the network. In addition, with the progress of the technology, the network transmission method has been developed from the conventional dial-up network to the present broadband network so that the network speed and the data transmission quantity are greatly increased.
The hierarchical architecture of network transmission may be found from some public network reference models, such as the open system interconnection (OSI) reference model and the Darpa reference model. The OSI reference model is established by the international standard organization (ISO) and comprises seven layers. The seven layers comprise a physical layer, a data-link layer, a network layer, a transport layer, a session layer, a presentation layer and an application layer. The Darpa reference model comprises four layers including a physical layer, a data-link layer, a network/transport layer and an application layer. The physical layer and data-link layer of the Darpa reference model respectively correspond to the physical layer and the data-link layer of the OSI reference model. The network/transport layer of the Darpa reference model corresponds to the network layer and the transport layer of the OSI reference model. The application layer of the Darpa reference model corresponds to the session layer, the presentation layer and the application layer of the OSI reference model.
The layers are in charge of different functions and tasks. For example, data packet (frame) formats with different network patterns are established for the data-link layer to ensure the data packet to be transmitted in different network entities, such as a coaxial cable, a double-twisted line, an optical fiber and a phone data line. In addition, the data packet is transmitted with a media access control address (MAC Address) in this layer. Also, various protocols, such as file read, copy, open and close protocols, associated with programs are defined in the application layer.
In addition, some protocols are established for these layers respectively so that the data may be transmitted according to these transmission protocols. For example, regarding to the application layer, a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) can be established for webpage transfer, a file transfer protocol (FTP) can be established for file transfer, and a simple network management protocol (SNMP) can be established for the network apparatus management. In addition, the new protocol may be established according to the requirement. For example, the IEEE 802.3ah protocol established according to the Ethernet in the first mile alliance (EFMA) is applied to the data-link layer, and the Ethernet may be directly applied to the user apparatus according to this protocol.
The typical network transmission architecture is formed by connecting the fundamental hardware architectures of the wired phones in series. The fundamental hardware architectures are mostly built by the type I telecommunication company (e.g., Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd. in Taiwan), while the type II telecommunication company (e.g., Seednet or So-net in Taiwan) provides a value-added service, such as an asymmetric digital subscriber loop (ADSL) service under the fundamental construction provided by the type I telecommunication company. The type II telecommunication company is the so-called Internet service provider (ISP).
FIG. 1 shows the typical network transmission architecture. The type I telecommunication company sets up many central office control rooms 11, each of which has one end connected to the Internet INT and the other end connected to a user apparatus 13 through a switch box 12. The path from the user apparatus 13 to the central office control room 11 is referred to an access network, and the user apparatus 13 is again connected to a core network (e.g. the Internet INT) through the central office control room 11. In addition, a network management server 14 of an ISP is connected to the other end of the Internet INT, and monitors, manages or updates the programs for the network apparatus (e.g., modem) of the user apparatus 13 through the Internet INT.
When the network management server 14 wants to perform the network management on one of the user apparatuses 13, the network management server 14 transmits an Internet protocol (IP) packet, and the IP packet comprises instructions or data such as the simple management protocol or other network management protocols. The IP packet is transferred in the Internet INT according to the Internet protocol, and transmitted to the central office control room 11. Then, the data in the managing packet is transmitted to the user apparatus 13 to perform the network management through the access technology corresponding to ADSL or a cable modem, for example.
However, when the network management server 14 wants to perform the network management on the user apparatus 13, it has to transmit the IP packet through the Internet INT, the central office control room 11 and the switch box 12 and then to manage the network apparatus of the user apparatus 13. In general, the network management server 14 manages the network apparatuses of the user apparatuses 13, thereby greatly increasing the data transmission quantity of the network. However, the bandwidth between the Internet INT and the central office control room 11 is fixed, so the usage efficiency of the bandwidth is lowered. In addition, since the network management server 14 has to perform the network management on all the user apparatuses 13, a database for storing status data of the network apparatus of each user apparatus 13 has to be created. Consequently, it brings the heavy loading to the network management server 14 and decreases the processing efficiency of the network management server 14.
In addition, the access of a network has been upgraded from the dial-up connection to the broadband connection through the broadband access technology (e.g., ISDN, ADSL or the cable modem) in the current network architecture. However, the bandwidth of the access of a network still becomes the bottleneck of the overall network bandwidth. In addition, the price of the broadband service provided by the access of a network is always the great loading to the user. Also, in order to provide various access technologies for the user apparatuses from the point of view of the ISP, the ISP has to provide different system apparatuses and spend a lot of money in maintaining the system apparatuses. Consequently, if the well-known Ethernet in the central office control room 11 is directly connected to home, the packet of the Ethernet may be directly transmitted to the computer of the user apparatus. Thus, the redundant access apparatuses may be omitted, and the bandwidth may also be greatly increased. Recently, the EFM technology is developed in response to such requirements. Consequently, if the access network can be combined with the Ethernet, the transmission speed and efficiency can be greatly increased, and the cost may be decreased.
Thus, it is an important subject to provide a network management method capable of decreasing the network management workload of the network management server on the user apparatus, increasing the efficiency of the network management server and the usage efficiency of the bandwidth, and greatly increasing the network transmission speed and the overall network management effect in conjunction with the Ethernet.